Are pollination services in decline?

[oxnatbees]

I heard from an agronomist that farmers are now buying bumblebee nests from Europe, on a large scale. These are placed in a field to pollinate it as a one-use fit-and-forget solution for crop pollination.

It's a non native species. The nest lasts one year. I wonder if the farmers even care if there is forage after the crop has bloomed.

I have heard, previously, that several million of these nests are produced a year, and were intended mainly for use in greenhouses, like the megascale ones in Holland. So the scale could be quite large in the UK.

I was wondering if this has resulted in a reduction for pollination services from beekeepers. Can anyone shed some light on this?

Thanks

 

[Anduril]

There is this article. Also it depends on what is being pollinated. https://www.newscientist.com/articl...ith-native-bees-and-that-could-endanger-them/

 

[Michael Palmer]

Bumblebee importation here has exposed our native bumbles to a Nosema disease that they didn't have before.

 

[Poly Hive]

Pollination has certainly declined. When I was in the Bee Farmers there were members talking about how the hive numbers asked for had dwindled considerably. At the time, some 25 years ago orchards were being removed on a large scale.

Has it improved since then? I don't have numbers but I suspect not.

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I heard from an agronomist that farmers are now buying bumblebee nests from Europe, on a large scale. These are placed in a field to pollinate it as a one-use fit-and-forget solution for crop pollination.

As usual - icorrect 'facts' puhed out by the hand wringers. Polytunnels and greenhouses not fields, been going on for years - whether it's the right thing to do or not is a matter of question.

Market forces drive everything - consumers demand out of season or longer season fruits and veg, vegematrians and the like not happy with razing rin forsets to the ground or humdrum in season foods so demand exotics and the varieties usually only enjoyed mid summer.......take your pick

 

[Newbeeneil]

From chatting to my local SBI I get the feeling these imports from mostly the Netherlands are worrying for them since they have been know to carry foul brood.

 

[Poly Hive]

Google produces nothing to support that in my searches.

Anyone?

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Google produces nothing to support that in my searches.

Anyone?

PH

Try the same sources of fake news that the anti vaxers use

 

[roche]

Pollination has certainly declined. When I was in the Bee Farmers there were members talking about how the hive numbers asked for had dwindled considerably. At the time, some 25 years ago orchards were being removed on a large scale.

Has it improved since then? I don't have numbers but I suspect not.

PH

Could that be something to do with the decline of commercial orchards in the UK?

 

[enrico]

All I know is I used to be paid to put my bees on crops. Not now!!!
E

 

[Anduril]

Google produces nothing to support that in my searches.

Anyone?

PH

Only Wikipedia if you type in pathogen spillover, but nothing about foulbrood, Nosema mentioned which corresponds with Michael Palmers post. But my understanding was that they were reared in a sterile environment.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

All I know is I used to be paid to put my bees on crops. Not now!!!
E

That sums it up Enrico...

 

[Beefriendly]

Not as easy today, but pollination contracts still exist.
In my area mainly for the few fields of borage where having sufficient bees as pollinators is essential for a profitable crop for the farmer.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not as easy today, but pollination contracts still exist.

Quite a few, that's why the BFA has a pollinator contracts officer.

 

[Beefriendly]

Quite a few, that's why the BFA has a pollinator contracts officer.

Aye, but for us mere mortals....there are still a few.

 

[Poly Hive]

The BFA does indeed but he was wringing his hands at the AGM I attended saying mainly he was getting cancellations due to grubbing out. I doubt it's improved much over the last 25 or so years.

PH

 

[Pete D]

anyone know how much an imported bumble bee nest costs

 

[Anduril]

anyone know how much an imported bumble bee nest costs

£70 in cardboard box
£85 in wooden box
These are native British bumble bees

 

[Anduril]

Google produces nothing to support that in my searches.

Anyone?

PH

There is this one from a few years ago
https://www.buzzaboutbees.net/bumblebees-for-sale.html

 

[Erichalfbee]

£70 in cardboard box
£85 in wooden box
These are native British bumble bees

I think maybe Pete meant those bought in industrial quantities to pollinate acres of strawberries under glass?